Shopify alternatives (2026): 8 tools compared for buyers
Looking for an alternative to Shopify? These 8 tools do the same job with a different focus. Each one is compared on who it suits, its key features, pros and cons, and what each vendor publishes on security, admin and contract terms.
Why buyers look beyond Shopify
- Merchants that must use an outside payment gateway at low volume (2% extra fee on Basic)
- Teams needing full server-level control of code and data.
- Anyone expecting SSO details on the public pricing page (not stated there)
From Shopify's published plan limits and recurring themes in public reviews. See the Shopify review for the full picture.
Shopify alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan or trial |
|---|---|---|---|
 Shopify Current | Small and mid-size brands that want a hosted store without managing servers. | $29/month billed yearly ($39 monthly) for Basic | Free trial |
 BigCommerce | Growing stores wanting B2B tools and open APIs on a hosted platform. | $29/month billed yearly (Core), $39 monthly | Free trial |
 WooCommerce | Merchants already on WordPress who want full code control. | Free (core); hosting typically $25-$350/month | Free plan |
 Wix eCommerce | Small shops and service businesses that want site and store in one editor. | Free plan; ecommerce from $29.77/month (Core) billed yearly | Free plan |
 Squarespace Commerce | Brands and creators that prioritize templates and design. | EUR 12/month (Basic, lower of the two shown figures); 14-day trial | Free trial |
 Adobe Commerce (Magento) | Large merchants with in-house or agency developers. | Contact sales | No |
 WordPress.com | Content sites and blogs that want the WordPress ecosystem without managing hosting. | Free; Personal US$4/month billed yearly | Free plan |
 Webflow | Design-led marketing sites that need custom layouts and a CMS. | $15/mo per site billed yearly (Basic) | No |
 Duda | Agencies managing many client sites with unlimited client accounts. | $19/month billed annually ($25 monthly) | Free trial |
The 8 best Shopify alternatives
BigCommerce
Hosted ecommerce platform whose plans are capped by trailing twelve month sales, with Enterprise-style Performance tier.
Plans here are tied to trailing twelve month sales, so growing brands should map their revenue against each tier's cap before choosing. B2B price lists need the Performance plan, and entry costs $29 monthly on yearly billing. Test the API and checkout in the trial.
- Best for
- Growing stores wanting B2B tools and open APIs on a hosted platform.
- Company size
- Small to enterprise.
Key features
- Hosted versus self-hosted
- Hosted SaaS.
- Payment processing and transaction fees
- Card rates from 2.89% + $0.29 (Amex 3.50%); Open Payment Provider fee 2.0% / 1.0% / 0.6% / none by plan.
- B2B and wholesale features
- Price Lists on Performance only; customer groups on Growth and up.
- Scalability and checkout limits
- Sales caps: $30K, $100K TTM GMV, $33,333/month on Scale; 0.9% overage on Scale.
Best for
- Growing stores wanting B2B tools and open APIs on a hosted platform.
- Merchants that want no transaction fee on embedded payment providers.
- Mid-market brands expecting to cross sales tiers.
Not ideal for
- Merchants who dislike sales-based plan caps and forced upgrades.
- Tiny stores wanting the cheapest possible plan.
Pricing: $29/month billed yearly (Core), $39 monthly · Free trial
WooCommerce
Free open source ecommerce plugin for WordPress where you pay for hosting, extensions and your chosen payment processor.
Anyone with a WordPress site and technical help can run this without platform revenue share. Costs shift to hosting, extensions at $29 to $299 yearly each, and a payment processor. Before committing, decide who will handle updates, backups and security.
- Best for
- Merchants already on WordPress who want full code control.
- Company size
- Small to large, developer-led.
Key features
- Hosted versus self-hosted
- Self-hosted on WordPress (host of your choice)
- Payment processing and transaction fees
- WooPayments about 2.50-2.90% + 30 cents; other gateways add no WooCommerce fee.
- App and integration ecosystem
- Extensions sold a la carte at $29-$299/year each.
- Scalability and checkout limits
- No product variant limits per vendor page; depends on your hosting.
Best for
- Merchants already on WordPress who want full code control.
- Stores with unusual product or checkout logic that justifies developer time.
- Merchants wanting no platform revenue share.
Not ideal for
- Teams without anyone to handle hosting, updates and security.
- Merchants wanting one vendor to call for everything.
Pricing: Free (core); hosting typically $25-$350/month · Free plan
Wix eCommerce
Website builder with ecommerce on its Core, Business and Business Elite premium plans.
A sensible choice for owners without a developer who want pages, a store and bookings handled in one editor. Ecommerce begins on the Core plan. When trialing, review storage by plan and confirm the domain voucher applies only to the first purchase.
- Best for
- Small shops and service businesses that want site and store in one editor.
- Company size
- Small business.
Key features
- Hosted versus self-hosted
- Hosted SaaS.
- Scalability and checkout limits
- Storage 50 GB / 100 GB / unlimited by plan.
Best for
- Small shops and service businesses that want site and store in one editor.
- Owners with no developer.
- Businesses that need bookings next to a store.
Not ideal for
- Large catalogs needing complex B2B or ERP workflows.
- Teams wanting self-hosting.
Pricing: Free plan; ecommerce from $29.77/month (Core) billed yearly · Free plan
Squarespace Commerce
Design-led website builder whose Core, Plus and Advanced plans add commerce with lower card rates as the plan rises.
Creators, brands and sellers of digital content or memberships who care about templates should trial it first. Commerce starts on the Core plan, and card rates fall on higher tiers. Check code injection limits on your plan if you need custom scripts.
- Best for
- Brands and creators that prioritize templates and design.
- Company size
- Small business.
Key features
- Hosted versus self-hosted
- Hosted SaaS.
- Payment processing and transaction fees
- Basic 2% store fee + 2.0% + EUR 0.25 card; Core 0% store fee; Advanced card 1.5% + EUR 0.25.
- Themes and customization
- CSS/JS and code injection from Core up.
- Scalability and checkout limits
- Unlimited product sales on Basic per vendor page.
Best for
- Brands and creators that prioritize templates and design.
- Small stores wanting site and store from one vendor.
- Sellers of digital content or memberships.
Not ideal for
- Stores wanting extensive app marketplaces or advanced B2B.
- Basic plan users needing custom code (not included)
Pricing: EUR 12/month (Basic, lower of the two shown figures); 14-day trial · Free trial
Full Squarespace Commerce review Squarespace Commerce alternatives
Adobe Commerce (Magento)
Enterprise commerce platform from Adobe built on the Magento codebase, sold by quote.
Worth a look for large merchants with their own developers or an agency, particularly where catalogs are complicated or B2B rules need deep customization. Built on Magento code from Adobe, it is quote-priced, so budget for both licensing and development before any trial or demo.
- Best for
- Large merchants with in-house or agency developers.
- Company size
- Enterprise / upper mid-market.
Key features
- Hosted versus self-hosted
- Cloud-hosted or self-managed (not confirmed by the vendor)
Best for
- Large merchants with in-house or agency developers.
- Complex catalogs and B2B needing deep customization.
Not ideal for
- Small stores without developer budget.
- Buyers needing published prices.
Pricing: Contact sales
WordPress.com
Hosted WordPress service from Automattic with free and paid per-site plans, plugins from the Business plan up.
For bloggers and content publishers who like the WordPress ecosystem but not server upkeep, this removes hosting chores. Plugins are only available from the Business plan, and full WooCommerce needs Commerce at US$45 per month, billed yearly. Expect plugin conflicts, and look at the 10% payment fee on Free.
- Best for
- Content sites and blogs that want the WordPress ecosystem without managing hosting.
- Company size
- Individuals to SMB; Enterprise via WordPress VIP.
Key features
- Editor and template quality
- Block editor with themes; plugins add flexibility.
- Ecommerce capability
- Full WooCommerce on Commerce (US$45/mo yearly); partial on Business.
- SEO controls
- SEO and analytics tools listed; per-plan detail not clear on pricing page.
- Customization and code access
- Custom plugins and themes on paid plans; 60,000+ plugins per pricing page.
Pros
- Easy to start and familiar WordPress editing.
- Large plugin and template choice.
- Low entry price on long prepay terms.
Cons
- Plugin conflicts and issues.
- Advanced features cost more on higher plans.
- Customization limits on lower plans.
Pricing: Free; Personal US$4/month billed yearly · Free plan
Webflow
Visual website builder with hosting and a built-in CMS, aimed at designers and marketing teams who want code-level control without writing a backend.
Choose it when a designer wants full control over layout and a built-in CMS for marketing pages. Expect time to learn the editor, as G2 reviewers note. Per-site plans began in May 2026, Basic costs $15 monthly billed yearly, and users report pricing changes, so ask what is locked in.
- Best for
- Design-led marketing sites that need custom layouts and a CMS.
- Company size
- Freelancers, agencies, SMB and enterprise marketing teams.
Key features
- Editor and template quality
- Visual designer with HTML/CSS concepts; G2 reviewers report a learning curve.
- Customization and code access
- Code components on Premium; full visual control of layout.
- Hosting, uptime and speed
- Hosting included with site plans.
Pros
- Design freedom beyond template builders.
Cons
- Pricing shifts frequently.
- Learning curve.
- Limited customer support.
Pricing: $15/mo per site billed yearly (Basic)
Duda
Website builder aimed at agencies and SaaS/reseller partners, with team seats, client accounts and white-label plans.
Web agencies and resellers handling many client sites are the target, since every plan includes unlimited client accounts, and the White Label plan removes Duda branding. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial, from $19 monthly on annual billing. Ecommerce is a paid extra, and G2 rates WordPress tooling lower.
- Best for
- Agencies managing many client sites with unlimited client accounts.
- Company size
- Agencies and web professionals.
Key features
- Editor and template quality
- G2 reviewers rate ease of use 9.2/10.
- Ecommerce capability
- Separate paid add-on, pricing not on the plan table.
- Customization and code access
- White label and unlimited client accounts on all plans.
Pros
- Easy setup and site editing.
- Responsive support.
Cons
- WordPress tooling rated weaker in G2 summaries.
Pricing: $19/month billed annually ($25 monthly) · Free trial
How to choose a Shopify alternative
Start with what made you look: a missing feature, a team that outgrew the plan or a bill that grew faster than the team. Then compare the shortlist on the points that matter most for this kind of software.
- Hosted versus self-hosted: Determines maintenance burden, control and who handles security.
- Payment processing and transaction fees: Fees on every sale often outweigh the monthly plan price.
- Themes and customization: Storefront flexibility affects brand fit and developer cost.
- App and integration ecosystem: Marketing, shipping and ERP integrations extend core features.
- Multichannel and marketplace selling: Selling on Amazon, social and POS needs native channel support.
- SEO and site performance: Clean URLs, speed and metadata control influence organic sales.
Security, admin and contract terms compared
Switching tools means a new security review. This is what Shopify and each alternative state publicly about single sign-on, provisioning, audit logs and the contract; a blank means the vendor does not say.
| Tool | SAML SSO | SCIM | Audit logs | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shopify | Not published | Not published | Not published | Monthly or yearly on Basic to Advanced; Plus offers 1 or 3 year terms, cancel when term ends. |
| BigCommerce | Not published | Not published | Not published | Monthly or annual; Performance billed annually. |
| WooCommerce | Not published | Not published | Not published | No platform contract; extension licenses are yearly. |
| Wix eCommerce | Not published | Not published | Not published | 14-day refund on initial upgrade; other billing periods available. |
| Squarespace Commerce | Not published | Not published | Not published | Monthly or annual; 14-day trial. |
| Adobe Commerce (Magento) | Not published | Not published | Not published | Quote-based. |
| WordPress.com | Not published | Not published | Not published | Monthly plan available; cancel any time but renewal notice applies; no refunds except per plan policy. |
| Webflow | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Duda | Not published | Not published | Not published | Monthly plans available; 30-day money-back guarantee. |
When to stay with Shopify
- Small and mid-size brands that want a hosted store without managing servers.
- Merchants that will use Shopify Payments to avoid the third-party gateway fee.
- Brands that need a path from a cheap plan to Plus without replatforming.
Shopify alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Shopify?
BigCommerce is the closest alternative for most teams: growing stores wanting B2B tools and open APIs on a hosted platform. WooCommerce suits teams that merchants already on WordPress who want full code control.
Is there a free alternative to Shopify?
WooCommerce, Wix eCommerce and WordPress.com offer a free plan. Free plans usually cap users, features or history, so check the limits against your team size.